Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-03-10
WASHINGTON LETTER



The adjournment of Congress does
not produce to-day the commercial
calm and the social solitude of thirty,
or even ten years ago. fhe growth OF
the Capital has been proportionately
greater than the marvellous growth of
the country. The coming and going
of Congress is no LANCER its life or
death. The president. the cabinet,
the heads Of the great government of
fees, Generals, Admirals, Judges,
Journalists, Senators, and members of
the lower house, live or linger here the
greater part of the year. The Capital
has become great center for conven-
tions, a Mecca for excursionists, and
not bad place for clippers and other
crunks. The Art Galleries, Museums,
the monumental and architectural at
fractions OF Washington are not equal
ed by those of any city in this heinis-
phere, and are scarcely excelled by
the great cities of the old world.
''Give us time and appropriations, >"
said distinguished traveller, land we
will distance rivalry as far az our
wealth and railroads distance those of
any other people," What physical
wonder will not wealth when welded
to energy accomplish? And what
monstrnsitv will il not ACCOMPLISH if
divorced from taste, intelligence, and
moral purpose? 1t would be we'll for
us, as people, to remind our vanity
occasionally that mere highness is not
greatness. The startling may be an
element of the sublime, but it is also
an element of the grotesque. AS for
example, look at the new pension
building, the most uncanny pile of red
brick in the world, and at the
equestrian monuments of Washington
and of Scott.
All the world will remain in Wash
ington until after the great, national
competitive drill, which is TO begin the
twenty second of May, and TO con-
tinue for week or more. Crack com
panies representing foot, Horse and ar
Iillery will be here from all parts OF
the Union. The drill will be OH the
large and perfectly level plain south OF
the White House. The latest story il
that Jefferson Davis will accompany q
Mississippi infantry company as its
guest. From ten to fifteen thousand
holiday soldiers will be here. accompa.
MED by their sisters, cousins, and
aunts, and thousands of visitors are
expected from all parts of the coun
try.
The final hours of Congress were
hurried and turbulent; bills which
should have had the careful consider
alton of days, were railroaded thrt ugl
at the eleventh hour in the hope OF
avoiding an extra session. There were
about two hundred measures left or
the two calendars when Congress adj
journed on Friday, representing work
in committee and elsewhere which
would have taken the lifetime of any
single LAWYER to perform Hundreds
of the measures which will die Will
this Congress have occupied as many
as half u dozen meetings of commit
tees, composed of from nine to fifteeI
members, most of whom are activ,
woi kers, and whose time devoted t.
law, medicine, and other profession
or business would command high re
Enumeration. Most of the measures
which will die on the calendars nre o
a private nature, for claims. pensions
etc, but more thar one-third of then
are of a general character, and on,
fourth them of national importance
Quite a number of important bill
have been passed by the last Congress
many of them of great value as legis
lation. The following are among TIL
number: The oleomargarine bill, tn,
DINGHY shipping bill. the ante-polyga
my bill, the presidential succession
bill, the electoral count bill. the Fitz
John Porter bill. the trade dollar bill
the labor arbitration bill, the bill t,
prohibit aliens from acquiring land il
the United States, the Indian severalt.
bill, the widows pension bill, the Mex
lean pension bill, the national librar.
building bill, the bill TO extend tn
money order system, the bill TO exten,
the free delivery system, the bill t,
/ prohibit the importation of contrac
labor, and tho interstate commerce
bill.